Paquetá Island

Federal State

Paquetá is a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, located on the homonymous island in the Bay of Guanabara.

History

The island was discovered in 1555 Paquetá during the French expedition of Nicolas Durand de Villegagnon by the cosmographers André Thevet. It was only on December 18, 1556 Thevet discovery was recognized by the French king, which makes this date was the anniversary of the island. With the victory of the Portuguese over the French, the island was 1565, the year in which also Rio de Janeiro was founded in Portuguese possession over.

The island is car-free, with the market for bicycles and horses and carts are allowed.

Name

The island's name comes from the indigenous Tupi language and has the meaning of " many shells ", which points to the numerous shells on the beaches of the island.

Nature

On Paquetá are twenty baobabs ( baobab ), the only copies in Brazil. One of them is called " Maria Gorda " ( Fat Maria) called, and kissed by the inhabitants as a lucky charm.